Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-11-30
A DIPLOMATIC EPISODE.
The Forgotten Purchase of Two West
Indian Islands.

Indian Islands.
In January, 1865, both President
Lincoln and Secretary Seward caused
the desire of this government to pur-
chase the provinces in the West Indies
to be made known to Denmark. !.
and in May. ten months after the
proposition was received, Count Frijs
communicated to Minister Yeaman
that the Danish government declined
the American offer Of five million dol
lars, but would cede all the provinces
to the Uuited States for fifteen million
dollars, the transfer of Santa Cruz to
depend on the consent of France-the
last in accordance with a treaty stipu-
lation of two hundred years standing
or two of the islands for ten million
dollars, providing the inhabitants would
freely and formally consent, by ballot,
to the change of allegiance. This
proposition was met with an offer from
the United States of seven million five
hundred thousand dollars for the three
islands. which offer was declined by
Denmark, and again amended by the
United states to an offer of the same
sum for the islands of st. Thomas and
St. Jobn-leaving Santa Cruz, which is
an agricultural island, and not specially
desirable as port of the naval station,
out of the question. The two govern
ments differed as to the expediency of
postponing the transaction until such
time as the concurrence of the inhab-
itants had been secured, and secretary
Seward, while declining to have the
stipulation which Denmark claimed in
serted in the treaty, instructed Mr..
Yeaman to say that permission would
be granted the inhabitants to leave the
island within two years after the annex
alton, if they preferred their original
allegiance; and he also enclosed a draft
of such a convention as would be ac-
ceptable to the United States.
But Count Frijs made the consent by
vote of the islanders the sine qua non
of transaction. The principle Of allow
ing and compelling people to express
a preference in questions of this sort
originated with Bonaparte, and the ex-
ceptional practice of it was introduced
into modern transactions by Napoleon
III, when France acquired Nice and
Savoy. Prussia, by way of concillating
France, consented, in the treaty of
Gastein, that like provision might be
resorted to in allowing the North
Schleswigers to vote for or against a
return TO Danish allegiance, and Dem
mark retained hopes that retrover-
sion of a portion of schleswig might
be obtained by an expression there of
the popular will. 1t became conse-
quently a question of national dignity
and political import that the king
should allow an equally frank express
sion of his West Indian subjects before
consenting to an irrevocable disposition
of their fealty. In the light of these
circumstances the United States could
not withhold assent to the measure.
and finally agreed to the stipulation,
adherlng to the offer of seven million
five hundred thousand dollars for the
two islands.-From "A Diplomatic Ep-
ISOLDE" by Olive Risley Seward, in
Scribner's Magazine for November.
HOW THE United STATES WON AND
LOST AN ISLAND GROUP.
The king of Denmark con-
sented on the oath Of October, 1867, to
a solemn treaty for the sale of the
West indian islands to the United
States. Ratification was made by
stipulation to be contingent on the
favorable vote of the West Indian SUBJ
jects. The 9th of January
was appointed for casting the vote.
The inhabitants recall it now as the
brightest holiday the quaint town has
ever Witnessed. Rejoicings with guns
and ringing bells. accompanied the
ceremony, which was furthermore
chetred and enlivened by professions
and serenades. Star-spangled banners
foated from every roof and tower,
while IN the decorations American
blue was substituted for Danish scar
let. The stars and stripes waved over
the cross of Denmark, and s.Hail &C.
lumbia:' became by repetition, echoed
from the surroun ling hills, as familiar
as King Christian" the Danish nag
tional hymn.
The ballot cast was declared unani-
NOUS in favor of annexation to the
United States, there being but twenty
two votes cast against it in St. Thomas,
ard not one dissenting voice at St.
John
Other independent states have
adopted the American republi san
system and by so doing
have justly claimed special right
to our sympathy and protection. The
first case on record, however, in which
a prosperous, peaceful, loyal, and con-
tented community has freely and with
out the prospect Of SPECIAL commercial
gain, voted away its natural allegiance
and adopted a. totally different rule, is
hat of the Danish West Indians voting
themselves American citizens by joyous
reclamation. The record of another
national conquest, so proud and peace
full, does not exist in all history, and it
is lncomprehensible that no response
should ever have been made to it by
the nation to whom this matchless
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